Dave Tiltmann, Algoa FM Managing Director and BCom alumnus is celebrating 29 years with the radio station, 18 years as MD.

Algoa FM recently received the Commercial Station of the Year in South Africa award at the 2018 Liberty Radio Awards.

“We have been knocking on the door for a few years now and in 2018 we simply broke the door down,” he said “What a feeling to win in front of the entire radio industry.”

This also meant that it was the first time in history that a station outside of Gauteng has claimed this title. In addition to winning this Algoa FM also received recognition in the following categories; Best Community Project, Best Stunt/Promotion/ Event and Best Daytime Show.

Algoa FM’s largest family mass participation event, the Big Walk for Cancer has been recognized as the number 1 community project amongst all radio stations in South Africa.

Tiltmann, whose favourite motto is ‘Fun is a Serious Business’ has been inducted into the elite group of seasoned broadcasters - the 2018 Radio Hall of Fame.

“Every day is different in radio and I guess that is why I have survived the past 29 years at Algoa FM, it is a very vibrant business and plenty of fun as well,” he said.

Besides heading Algoa FM Tiltmann is also the Executive Director of Radio and Strategy at Moneyweb and also consults and acts as the Chairman of Classic FM 102.7 in Johannesburg.

While a student Tiltmann joined the campus radio station, where he started to blossom into managing Radio “Uppie” during his second year. In 1986, he received his university colours for his service to the former University of Port Elizabeth Student body and later during his two-year compulsory military service; he joined SWABC as a presenter and sports broadcaster as well as running his own show on radio in Windhoek.

“I finished my degree whilst joining Ster Kinekor as a Cinema Manager for a year, which also gave me confidence to manage staff and my friends, loved the fact that they could get movie tickets for free,” he said.

Tiltmann has welcomed the new name, Nelson Mandela University.

“I love the name, what an honour to be allowed to use Nelson Mandela’s brand and I truly am proud to be associated with the university now and always,” he said.

Tiltmann who was a Xanadu resident became a house committee member and played hockey for the first reserve team. In 1989, he joined Algoa FM (former Radio Algoa) where he worked his way up the ladder to become the managing director in 2000.

Next for Tiltmann - creating one of the top media companies in South Africa.

“We are branching into digital content which includes both social media and video and I look forward to taking the company to even greater heights in the near future,” he said.